High voltage-resistant lateral double-diffused transistor based on nanowire device

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a high voltage-resistant lateral double-diffused transistor. The lateral double-diffused MOS transistor includes a channel region, a gate dielectric, a gate region, a source region, a drain region, a source end extension region and a drain end S-shaped drifting region, wherein the channel region has a lateral cylindrical silicon nanowire structure, on which a layer of gate dielectric is uniformly covered, the gate region is on the gate dielectric, the gate region and the gate dielectric completely surround the channel region, the source end extension region lies between the source region and the channel region, the drain end S-shaped drifting region lies between the drain region and the channel region, the plan view of the drain end S-shaped drifting region is in the form of single or multiple S-shaped structure(s), and an insulating material with a relative dielectric constant of 1-4 is filled within the S-shaped structure(s).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. §371 ofInternational Application No. PCT/CN2011/072395, filed Apr. 1, 2011,which in turn claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Chinese PatentApplication No. 201110029706.7, filed Jan. 27, 2011, the contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lateral double-diffused MOStransistors in the field of microelectronics semiconductor devices, andin particular, to a lateral double-diffused transistor based on asilicon nanowire MOS transistor, which is suitable for application in aradio frequency (RF) power amplifier or other high-voltage circuits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the development of RF circuits, RF devices gain more and moreattention in radio communications, for example, personal/commercialradio communication apparatus, mobile communication apparatus and evensome important fields such as military radars, etc., and the demands onthereof also increases year by year. In the transceiver systems of a RFcircuit, a power amplifier is a very important module. However, a poweramplifier is generally required to process a signal with a largeamplitude and to have a good stability, which requires that the coreelements of the circuits of the power amplifier have a good highvoltage-resistant capability. Generally, the core elements of suchcircuits are manufactured by employing complex processes with expensivespecial materials or manufactured by employing planar lateraldouble-diffused field effect transistors (planar LDMOS). Although theplanar lateral double-diffused field effect transistor is compatiblewith the conventional CMOS process, under the background that theimprovement of the key processing steps such as lithographying in theCMOS process is limited and the object of batch production via advancedtechnologies cannot be attained, the structure of the planar transistorcauses a continual increase of cost and a reduction of the yield. Atpresent, taking 45 nm flat tube process as an example, the technologyhas reached the process limit, and a serious short channel effect willbe introduced into the flat tube, which results in an increase of theoff-state current and a reduction of transconductance in the device. Atthe same time, since a lateral double-diffused field effect transistorwith a planar-structure has a large drain/substrate conjunction reversebias during the normal operation, a large drain/substrate leakagecurrent exists, which affects the precision of the output current, andthe large drain/substrate reverse bias may even result in the device isbrokendown soon and thus reduce the high voltage-resistant capability ofthe LDMOS.

On one hand, silicon nanowire MOS field-effect transistor (SiliconNanowire MOSFET) may attain an excellent gate control capability,mitigate the short channel effect and overcome the problem that it isdifficult for an ordinary planar transistor to reduce the characteristicsize of a device. On the other hand, because of the floating channelstructure, the effect of no substrate is obtained, and the LDMOSconsisted thereby may overcome the problem of large leakage current andquick breakdown in a planar LDMOS.

Therefore, by using the high voltage-resistant lateral double-diffusedfield effect transistor manufactured based on a nanowire MOSfield-effect transistor, a good choice is provided for further improvingthe integration degree and the performance of an ultra-large scaleintegrated circuit. Moreover, a good choice is provided for a poweramplifier module or other high-voltage circuits requiring a reliable andstable operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Directed to the prior art, the present invention provides a lateraldouble-diffused transistor based on a silicon nanowire MOS transistor,which is suitable for an RF power amplifier or other high-voltagecircuits.

The technical solutions of the invention are as follows:

A high voltage-resistant lateral double-diffused MOS transistor based ona silicon nanowire MOS transistor, includes a channel region, a gatedielectric, a gate region, a source region, a drain region, a source endextension region and a drain end S-shaped drifting region.

The channel region is the core portion of the surrounding gate siliconnanowire field-effect transistor and has a lateral cylindrical structureon which a layer of gate dielectric is uniformly covered. The gateregion is on top of the gate dielectric, and the gate region and thegate dielectric completely surround the silicon nanowire. The length ofthe channel region is in the range of 10 nm-10 μm. The cylinder radiusis in the range of 3-5 nm, and the cylinder is not doped. The thicknessof the gate dielectric is in the range of 1-2.5 nm. The thickness of thegate region is in the range of 10 nm-5 μm.

The source region is flush with the drain region both at the upper andlower surfaces. The source region and the drain region are respectivelyconnected to the source end extension region and the drain end S-shapeddrifting region. High-concentration doping is employed, and the dopingconcentration is in the range of 10²⁰-10²¹ cm⁻³.

The source end extension region lies between the source region and thechannel region, characterized in that the doping concentration thereofis the same as that of the source region so as to obtain a very lowresistance. The length of the source end extension region is in therange of 20 nm-100 nm. The reason for keeping a certain length is toreduce the parasitic capacitance of the drain region and the gateregion. The doping concentration of the source end extension region isin the range of 10²⁰-10²¹ cm⁻³.

The drain end S-shaped drifting region lies between the drain region andthe channel region, which has the following structural characteristics.

1) In comparison with the source end extension region, the drain endS-shaped drifting region has a lower doping concentration in the rangeof 10¹²-10¹⁸ cm⁻³.

2) The plan view of the drain end S-shaped drifting region is in theform of single or multiple S-shaped structure(s). The total length is 1μm-2 μm; the size of each back-track in the S-shaped structure is 50nm-100 nm (lognitudinal)×100 nm-200 nm (lateral); and the number ofS-shaped back-tracks is 1-5.

3) An insulating material with a low relative dielectric constant isfilled within the S-shaped structure, and the relative dielectricconstant is 1-4.

In comparison with the prior art, the effects of the invention are asfollows.

A lateral double-diffused transistor suitable for an RF power amplifieror other high-voltage circuits is manufactured based on a siliconnanowire MOS transistor, so that the drain/substrate current introducedinto a planar LDMOS due to the large drain/substrate voltage is avoided,and it is avoided that the drain/substrate conjunction reverse breakdowndecreases the breakdown voltage of the LDMOS. At the same time, becauseof the excellent gate control capability of the silicon nanowire device,the off-state current is reduced, and a relatively largetransconductance may be obtained. The drain end S-shaped drifting regionplays the role of generating more potential drops in the insulatingmaterial surrounding the back-tracks via a multiple back-track S-shapedstructure with a low doping concentration and the material with a lowrelative dielectric constant filled between the S-shaped back-tracks, sothat the maximum electric-field intensity in the direction of thecarrier path from the channel region to the drain region is reduced, theelectric field distribution in direction of the carrier path is uniform,and the avalanche breakdown effect that may be caused by a highintensity electric field is avoided, which is favourable to increase thebreakdown voltage of an element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the cross-section of a lateraldouble-diffused transistor based on a silicon nanowire MOS transistoraccording to the invention, wherein:

1-channel region, 2-gate dielectric, 3-gate region, 4-source endextension region, 5-drain end S-shaped drifting region, 6-insulatingdielectric with a low relative dielectric constant surrounding theback-tracks of the S-shaped drifting region, 7-source region, 8-drainregion;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the cross-section of a nanowirestructure, wherein:

1-channel region, 2-gate dielectric (ring cover), 3-gate region (ringcover);

FIG. 3 to FIG. 9 are schematic diagrams showing the manufacturingprocess of the invention, wherein:

in FIG. 3:

12-heavily-doped source end, 13-heavily-doped drain end, 14-mask,15-silicon wafer substrate;

in FIG. 4:

16-mask, 17-lightly-doped region;

in FIG. 5:

18-S-shaped mask

in FIG. 6:

18-S-shaped mask, 20-lightly-doped region, 21-heavily-doped sourceregion, 22-heavily-doped drain region;

in FIG. 7:

23-thick oxide layer deposition, 24-hollowed part formed byisotropically etching the part under the channel;

in FIG. 8:

4-source end extension region, 26-channel region, 5-drain end S-shapeddrifting region, 28-oxide layer;

in FIG. 9:

29-insulating dielectric with a low relative dielectric constant, 3-gateregion, 31-thick oxide layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The invention will be further described in detail below with combinationof the drawings and specific embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the cross-section of the core part ofa lateral double-diffused transistor based on a silicon nanowire MOStransistor according to the invention. The difference between thestructure of the transistor and that of a conventional silicon nanowireMOS transistor lies in that.

1) The connection mode between the channel part and the drain region: inthe invention, the drain end S-shaped drifting region is used as theconnection part, the shape characteristic of which is S-shaped.

2) The connection region between the channel part and the drain region(in the invention, the connection region is the drain end S-shapeddrifting region): the doping concentration is different, and the dopingconcentration of the invention is lower than that of the conventionalnanowire MOS transistor; and

3) The invention discloses that an insulating dielectric with a lowrelative dielectric constant is filled between the back-tracks of theS-shaped drifting region, which is different from that only silicondioxide is filled in the conventional nanowire MOS transistor.

At the same time, the difference between the structure according to theinvention and that of a conventional LDMOS transistor lies in that thefollowing.

1) As shown in FIG. 2, the channel region of the invention has asurrounding gate structure, which is favourable to reduce short channeleffect and meanwhile to avoid drain/substrate leakage current andbreakdown.

2) The flow direction of carriers in the connection region between thechannel part and the drain region is different. In the invention,carriers flow along the S-shaped back-track region; however, in aconventional LDMOS, carriers flow planarly in a single direction or flowin a direction vertical to the silicon wafer.

The above various differences are favourable to increase the highvoltage-resistant capability of a lateral double-diffused transistorbased on a silicon nanowire MOS transistor.

The invention may realize an n-type and a p-type lateral double-diffusedtransistor based on a silicon nanowire MOS transistor. As shown in FIG.1, if the source region, the drain region and the source end extensionregion are selected to be n-type heavily doped and the drain endS-shaped drifting region is selected to be n-type lightly doped, ann-type lateral double-diffused transistor based on a silicon nanowireMOS transistor may be realized. If the source region, the drain regionand the source end extension region are selected to be p-type heavilydoped and the drain end S-shaped drifting region is selected to bep-type lightly doped, a p-type lateral double-diffused transistor basedon a silicon nanowire MOS transistor may be realized.

The manufacturing process is illustrated below via an example in whichan n-type lateral double-diffused transistor based on a silicon nanowireMOS transistor is manufactured.

1) A bulk silicon wafer is selected and a source region, a drain regionand high-concentration n-type doping region are defined by using a hardmask. Particularly, the doping concentration is in the range of10²⁰-10²¹ cm⁻³, the depths of the source region and the drain region are100 nm-1 μm, as shown in the side sectional view of FIG. 3.

2) The hard mask of step 1) is removed, a lightly-doped region isdefined by using another hard mask, and a n-type doping with a lowconcentration is performed so as to prepare for the formation of thedrain end S-shaped drifting region. Particularly, the dopingconcentration is 10¹²-10¹⁸ cm⁻³, as shown in the side sectional view ofFIG. 4. Since the source and drain regions defined in step 1) haven-type impurities of high-concentration, the step 2) will not influencethe source and drain region.

3) The hard mask of step 2) is removed, and an S-shaped hard mask isformed, as shown in the side sectional view of FIG. 5 and the plan viewin FIG. 6. Particularly, the plan view of the drain end S-shapeddrifting region is in the form of single or multiple S-shapedstructure(s), the total length is 1 μm-2 μm, the size of each back-trackin the S-shaped structure is 50 nm-100 nm (longitudinal)×100 nm-200 nm(lateral), and the number of S-shaped back-tracks is in the range of1-5.

4) A thick oxide layer is deposited, and the isotropically etching isperformed to the silicon substrate under the source end extensionregion, the channel region and the drain end S-shaped drifting region sothat the underpart is hollowed, and the hollowed depth is 100 nm-1 μm,as shown in FIG. 7.

5) The hard mask is removed, the source end extension region, thechannel region and the drain end S-shaped drifting region are oxidizedand thinned, and a layer of surrounding gate dielectric is formed forthe channel region at the same time. The cylinder radius is in the rangeof 3-5 nm, and the thickness of the gate dielectric is in the range of1-2.5 nm, as shown in FIG. 8.

6) A gate region with a thickness range of 10 nm-5 μm is formed, thesource end extension region is filled with silicon dioxide, the layer ofsilicon dioxide covered on the drain end S-shaped drifting region isremoved, and the drain end S-shaped drifting region is filled with aninsulating dielectric having a low relative dielectric constant.Particularly, the relative dielectric constant of the insulatingdielectric is 1-4, as shown in FIG. 9.

Via a multiple back-track S-shaped structure with a low dopingconcentration and the material with a low relative dielectric constantfilled between the S-shaped back-tracks, the drain end S-shaped driftingregion make more potential drop in the insulating material between theback-tracks, so that the maximum electric-field strength in thedirection of the carrier path from the channel region to the drainregion may be lowered, and the electric field distribution in thedirection of the carrier path is uniform, and the avalanche breakdowneffect that may be caused by a high intensity electric field is avoided,which is favourable to increase the breakdown voltage of the elements.

The subsequent technological processes are completely the same as thoseof a conventional silicon nanowire MOS transistor, wherein followingprocesses are performed sequentially: planarizing, depositing anisolation layer, lithographying a lead wire hole, depositing a metal,lithographying a lead wire and passivating, etc.

The lateral double-diffused transistor based on a silicon nanowire MOStransistor according to the invention has been described above in detailwith specific examples, but the above application situations andembodiments are not intended to limit the invention. Variousmodifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,the protection scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A lateral double-diffused MOS transistor,comprising a channel region, a gate dielectric, a gate region, a sourceregion, a drain region, a source end extension region and a drain endS-shaped drifting region, wherein the channel region has a lateralcylindrical silicon nanowire structure, on which a layer of gatedielectric is uniformly covered, the gate region is on the gatedielectric, the gate region and the gate dielectric completely surroundthe channel region, the source end extension region lies between thesource region and the channel region, the drain end S-shaped driftingregion lies between the drain region and the channel region, the drainend S-shaped drifting region is in a form of single or multiple S-shapedstructure, and an insulating material with a relative dielectricconstant of 1-4 is filled within the S-shaped structure.
 2. Thetransistor according to claim 1, wherein a length of the drain endS-shaped drifting region is 1 μm-2 μm, a size of each back-track in theS-shaped structure is 50 nm-100 nm (longitudinal)×100 nm-200 nm(lateral), and the number of S-shaped back-tracks is in the range of1-5.
 3. The transistor according to claim 2, wherein the dopingconcentration of the drain end S-shaped drifting region is 10¹²-10¹⁸cm⁻³.
 4. The transistor according to claim 1, wherein the channel regionis not doped, and has a length in the range of 10 nm-10 μm and a radiusin the range of 3-5 nm.
 5. The transistor according to claim 1, whereina thickness of the gate dielectric is in the range of 1-2.5 nm, and athickness of the gate region is in the range of 10 nm-5 μm.
 6. Thetransistor according to claim 1, wherein the source region is flush withthe drain region at upper and lower surfaces, and high-concentrationdoping is employed, wherein a doping concentration is in the range of10²⁰-10²¹ cm⁻³.
 7. The transistor according to claim 1, wherein a dopingconcentration of the source end extension region is the same as that ofthe source region, a length of the source end extension region is in therange of 20 nm-100 nm, and the doping concentration of the source endextension region is in the range of 10²⁰-10²¹ cm⁻³.